News

February is American Heart Month and itâ€™s an excellent time for the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) Program to share data about the state of heart health in Fulton County and to remind people that heart disease can often be prevented by making healthy choices and managing health conditions.

Survey data provided to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between 2014 and 2015, nearly a quarter of all Fulton County adults bought medication to treat high blood pressure and almost one in five bought medications to control cholesterol. The good news is that the same survey found that between 18% and 38% of Fulton County residents already are jogging, swimming, biking, bowling or hiking their way to healthier hearts.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 370,000 deaths each year. While the death rate from heart disease fell by about 38% from 2003 to 2013, the burden and risk factors remain alarmingly high. During American Heart Month, the PICH Program is working to raise awareness about heart disease and increase knowledge about prevention. Sharing this information is important because about 80% of cardiovascular disease can be prevented through everyday healthy living steps, including:â€¢ Â not smokingâ€¢ Â engaging in at least 2.5 hours of physical activity each week â€¢ Â developing healthy eating habits, including adding fruits, vegetables and healthy grains to meals â€¢ Â maintaining healthy weight Â â€¢ Â controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels

About PICH

The Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) Program is working with community partners to develop strategies and implement programs to promote healthier lifestyles and to reduce both health disparities and the incidence of chronic disease among County residents. The PICH Program is made possible by funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under cooperative agreement #IU58DP005568-01. For more information,please visit Â www.fultoncountyga.gov/partnership-to-improve-community-health. To Â learn more about Fulton County Health and Wellness, please visit www.fultoncountygahealth.org.